idosubaru

i'll use whatever comes with the local oil change special or is cheap/on sale routinely. i lean towards Purolator Pure One it doesn't matter, there are no longevity and reliability gains to be had from oil filter choice.

if the pulley spins normal it should have nothing to do with it. are you using the wrong timing belt marks - post pictures of your timing belt configuration.

Indeed, I was totally joking! i've never had a daily driver engine failure. I was joking in regards to the hundreds/thousands of people/threads obsessing about that bypass valve. it's like every oil thread on subaruoutback.org. crazy how intense people get about that valve, they might even faint that you allow NAPA golds. lol

the favorite thing for forum folks to obsess about is the antidrainback valve pressure rating thingy which causes engine failure after engine failure. i've never bought one Subaru oil filter and my engines routinely fail before 150k. (lol)

yes, two cans from empty to full for newer generation Subarus.

it's so easy you should probably tell us why you're asking....it would be akin to asking "how do I open my car door"? J/K: 1. remove oil filter 2. install new oil filter Is your under cover still in place and in the way? if so you just need to remove the under cover or open it's access hole if it has one for the oil filter. oil filter is on the lower front passengers side of the engine bay - crawl under the front of the car and you can't miss it. i never replace drain plugs on Subarus and have had multiple 200,000 mile vehicle, driving some now - the original Subaru OEM drain plugs last the life of the vehicle if they're never over tigthened. aftermarket drain plug crush washers I wouldn't trust at all - i'd throw a brand new one away and install a 150,000 mile Subaru crush washer any day. buy a new OEM crush washer and never replace it again, that's what I'd do....well i wouldn't even bother with a new one until i actually saw drips. a lot of people follow the Subaru Gods and replace the crush washer every time though, that's very common. i am the noted weirdo in that category...but until I see one leak, i'm not wasting the time worrying about it. still a relatively small sample size but more than just a few, I've probably worked on 100 Subaru's and never replaced one.

to summarize = no EJ25's in 1995. It's only EJ22 and EJ18 int he impreza. 1995 auto has EGR 1995 manual does not have EGR 1996 - can have EGR or not have EGR - there's no way to know without just looking at it. 1996 engine can go in the 95 if you also swap the exhaust manifold. If the 96 doesn't have EGR - do the work around mentioned above.

I'm almost positive a 1996 is going to be the old style right? I'd be very surprised any 1996's got the new style with valves - i think that came later in like 97 or 98.

It doesn't matter. No one is making 300,000 miles or not based on oil filter choices, that's a huge misconception. If you like oil topics join bobistheoilguy forums and all the technical oil banter over there. Removing weight from your car will improve stopping times. One could keep all the trash out, remove items/papers not needed, run with half filled washer fluid instead of full, vacuum all the dirt out daily, not keep change, sunglasses and things in the car...all to reduce weight and improve safety and reduce the chance of death which is way more important than engine death. Terribly impractical, stupid, and hilarious illustration of course...but it's also "true". So yes the OEM filters are better. The practical difference is negligible.

inspections like that simply mean "listen for noise". the dealers do nothing - just audibly listen. no way in a billion years would Subaru call someone out for "not properly inspected wheel bearing lubricant" - i don't think i can exaggerate how silly that notion is, believing that is worthy (not really) of being ostracized, called a witch, and burnt at the stake.

+1 to 99 being all Phase II trans. don't Phase II's have more speed sensors - is that immediately notable visually?

Original poster - how do you know it's backlash and not a failing bearing in the front diff? Folks have seen bearing failures in the front diff. Auto's don't share trans and front diff fluid. Manuals do. Front diff noises usually get worse over about 1,000 - 10,000 miles. I would consider yourself very lucky if it actually lasted. You should know soon enough, it's going to get louder or it's not. retaining alignment: mark the bottom strut mount bolt head orientation to strut bracket - and reinstall to the same location - to retain alignment. if tie rod gets disconnected - draw a line across the outer tie rod, lock nut, and onto the inner tie rod. then count number of turns removing. (i just did one today and it was 16.5 rotations to remove the tie rod). reinstall those number of turns and line up your marks you made. 05+ wheel bearings are easy - they're bolt on, no press or anything needed. Super cake. I'd get Subaru units. Aftermarkets sometimes cause ABS issues because the tone ring is integrated with the wheel bearing assembly on 05+ models. Afermarket bearings/tone rings freaks out the ABS sometimes. You can readily google common/routine jobs like this and even download the Subaru Factory Service Manual for free online.

yep - rotational play sounds normal. that's a pretty good description - can you add any more mechanical/technical details, it's hard to go on words. symptoms didn't change at all with any of that other work?

It's very easy - remove EJ18 - install EJ22 - they are essentially the exact same engine. I don't even think you're necessarily limited to 1990-1994, I think you can use 1995 - 1998 EJ22's as well, but 1996-1998 have single port exhaust so you'd have to also swap the exhaust manifold (easy since it's got to be unbolted from the engine anyway). OBD refers to the intake manifold - not the long block itself. the entire engine itself is just a big block of pistons and valves and timing gear - NO ELECTRONICS at all. So bolt your OBDI EJ18 intake manifold onto an EJ22 and you're good to go and your EJ22 is now "OBD I" To say it another way - the EJ22 isn't really "OBDII" because you're ONLY using the long block in this case - it's just a big block, no intake manifold, no wiring, no sensors, nothing. It works because the EJ18 and EJ22 intake manifold bolt pattern is identical - same thing, so just swap away. The EJ18 is weak - but man it's a great motor - you might still considering running it for what it is - a high mileage inexpensive reliability monster. save your money and buy an already equipped EJ22 vehicle later. If you can swap an engine - buy a blown engine Subaru for cheap and then install an EJ22 - you'll make money that way probably after selling what you currently have.

replace PCV valve and clean out all those related PCV/valve cover hoses to streamline crackcase pressures and yes - rings may have stuck and may seat/work themselves out over time. how many miles have you put on it since sitting for awhile?

do you mean the electronic controls, the 4WD specific components only, the entire system, and manual or auto....and VDC and later models are different too.... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/102083-best-write-up-on-how-a-transmission-works/ http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/48020-awd-vs-4wd-can-someone-edjimecate-me/page-2 http://www.awdwiki.com/en/subaru/ http://www.manchestersubaru.com/subaru-symmetrical-all-wheel-drive.htm http://www.awdwiki.com/images/subaru-mpt.jpg

+1 no gas savings. a mechanic said this? wow as a humorous illustration - put the FWD fuse and (maybe ask your mechanic these questions so he can understand): 1. are the wheels still rotating when the car is moving? 2. are the rear axles, which a FWD does not have, still moving in an AWD vehicle? (yes) 3. is the rear differential (which a FWD does not have) still being driven? (yes) 4. is the driveshaft (which a FWD...yep, you guessed it, does not have) still turning? (yes) 5. are the internal 4WD transmission clutch packs and driven gears (which...yes sir, a FWD does not have) still in place? (yes) 6. do the 4WD components magically disappear when the fuse is installed: the 4WD rear extension housing, driveshaft, axles, rear differential, beefier rear bearings/knuckles? no - they do not magically disappear so the car is hundreds of pounds heavier than a FWD counterpart. all of those components add weight to the system and are rotational components still mechanically fixed to the rear wheels. there are no gas savings to be had, probably best to leave the car in nominal operating condition without the FWD fuse unless it's necessary or actually performing something useful.

i think Phil did play with some clutches or have some slipping...i don't know for sure, might want to find his existing threads about the clutch.

buy a used compressor, add refrigerant, and youre done. takes no time at all, cheap, and easy. i've done it gobs of times. no need to buy rebuilt, new or worry about vacuuming the system.

I presume you have a 2000+ legacy/outback or later impreza/forester with that newer style suspension? if so, i forget the terminology but the rear bolt/bushing that holds the arm to the body of the vehicle seizes. it's the arm that runs from the "rear knuckle" to the center of the vehicle, perpendicular to the road/parallel to the axles so to speak. that inner bushing and bolt. many people cut them off, they can be tricky to remove.

i'm not familiar with that except to say i've always followed the owners manuals for 20+ years on Subaru differential fluids and GL-5 is what i've always used.

XT6 is only 145 hp, i wouldn't worry about it. yep - kingbobdole has exactly what he said for years - a FWD MT XT6 with an extra 85 hp from an EZ30. he has it well documented with clutch comments over on subaruxt.com where he will readily reply if you post there.

wait.... you can use 1995 EJ22 automatic EJ22 heads and intake manifold as well. those will bolt right to your EJ25 engine and probably be significantly cheaper. it's plug and play, direct swap, no different than the job he is planning on doing.

I have a set of used heads I might be able to sell you if he can't find anything local. let me know what prices he is finding and if it's expensive i'll come in under that. www.car-part.com

Another option if the gooberish state of CA has it's head out of the ground, is an EJ22 swap. http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/111-gen-1-1995-1999/248329-ej22-ej18-swap-into-ej25d-dohc-vehicle.html $500 EJ22 $200 timing kit/parts $500 engine swap Sell old engine for $500 You just repaired your car for under $1,000 and it'll be more reliable than the original EJ25 - done right, another 100,000 miles is possible. That repair price sounds about right - $1,200 - $2,000 is an average headgasket job - add a bit more for the additional work/bent valves and $2,800 is reasonable. Bent valves is no joke. You've got a lot of machine shop work and valves are expensive. Or you're buying used heads.